The Engagement
by scifiromance
Summary: The morning after becoming engaged to Chakotay, an unsuspecting Seven informs the Doctor, expecting him to be happy for her... Set in the unaltered "Endgame" timeline. C/7 DON'T read if you like D/7! One-shot.


**A/n: This story is set in the unaltered "Endgame" timeline. Voyager has been in the Delta Quadrant for eight and a half years at this point.**

The Doctor sighed irritably as he watched Seven complete the repairs to his holo-emitter, damaged during a particularly rocky trip through a tachyon radiation storm that morning, and tapped her hard on the shoulder when she didn't take the hint and turn to look at him. Seven flicked her eyes distractedly over her shoulder at him, a questioning frown on her face. "Yes Doctor?"

"Are you finished yet? I have duties to attend to!"

Seven sighed in response before using her sonic screwdriver to connect the last circuit within the silver casing and handing over into his impatient hand, waiting for him to transfer his programme over before speaking again, "Do you require my assistance any further Doctor?" She asked politely, though she privately hoped not as Chakotay had firmly impressed on her the importance of tonight's date and her internal clock said that if she left now she'd have a full hour to prepare…

She was pulled from these anticipatory thoughts by the Doctor's voice. "Seven? Did you hear what I said?"

She flushed slightly, really she shouldn't allow thoughts of her relationship with Chakotay to distract her to such a great extent, it wasn't as if she even had the excuse of it being a new development anymore, since it was now a long standing circumstance of eighteen months, two weeks, three days and five hours. "I apologise Doctor, please repeat your request."

"I said that the replicator is playing up a bit and B'Elanna hasn't sent anyone yet…" He muttered petulantly as if he'd been purposely ignored.

A small wry smile crossed Seven's features as she picked up her toolkit and headed to the replicator, there had been a time when she had taken everything the Doctor said about the other crewmembers very seriously, but that time was long gone and she felt the need to defend the chief of Engineering, "The ship has been badly damaged, B'Elanna must prioritise." She glanced at him teasingly, "Like when you exercise triage measures I suppose."

The Doctor shrugged shamefacedly, caught out. "Well, if you put it like that…" He began but stopped as he saw her already rising from her kneeling position by the replicator. "Is it fixed already?" he asked in astonishment.

"The databanks were wrongly configured, I have corrected the error." She told him, sighing tiredly and smoothing out the crumpled trousers of her Starfleet uniform.

"Oh…" The Doctor replied, his voice inflected with embarrassment as he watched her start to leave, impulsively grasping her arm to prolong their conversation. "I heard the holodecks are fixed. I found a new version of Verdi's Rigoletto on file, why don't we go and have a listen?"

"I'm busy tonight Doctor." Seven replied quickly before feeling guilt seep into her as his face visibly fell, she really _hadn't_ spent much time with him lately, or at least not as much as he seemed to require. "In a few days time perhaps? Or why not ask someone else to accompany you? Chakotay told me recently that one of his old Maquis comrades, Crewman Bowden, enjoys opera . Perhaps he would be enriching company for you?"

The Doctor stiffened at her kindly, but still definite, brush off. "I'd rather not." She nodded, disappointed at not being able to offer relief of his loneliness, but happy to leave. As he helpfully handed over her toolbox, she became aware of his eyes scanning her with disapproval. "So you're not having any trouble with your uniform I see? It'll never be as kind on your implants as your biosuits were…"

"It was time for a change." Seven replied stoically, not wanting to be drawn into this argument _again_.

"I suppose…" He muttered reluctantly but was unwilling to let the matter drop completely, "Couldn't you have been given a higher rank than Crewman? I'd think you deserved a lieutenancy at the very least…"

Seven sighed, agitated at having to explain the logic of her decision to him once again, "As I am not a graduate of Starfleet Academy I did not think it would be fair for me to be given such a rank…"

The Doctor bristled, "What brought this guilt trip on? Your situation is rather _unique_…"

"Perhaps I no longer wish for my _uniqueness _to be forced on everyone else at their expense!" She told him sharply, not even dignifying the "guilt trip" remark with a response, instead thinking of her pride and happiness when the Captain had awarded her and Icheb with their official commissions, he as an Ensign since he'd passed his exams, in a special ceremony in the Mess Hall, with everyone in attendance and the big party afterwards. "It was my decision Doctor." She reiterated firmly when she saw that her initial reply had shaken him.

"Yes…" His voice drifted off, "Remember your maintenance is tomorrow." He said stiffly, changing the topic completely.

"0900 hours, I'll remember. Goodnight Doctor." She said calmly, glad to end the conversation on a civil note as she left.

* * *

Seven walked quickly though the halls to Holodeck 2. Surprised when the doors did not open at her approach she hurriedly asked the Computer, "Computer, locate Commander Chakotay."

"Commander Chakotay is in Holodeck 2." The Computer obligingly answered.

Beginning to suspect she was being teased, Seven smilingly tapped her comm. badge, precariously fastened to the bodice of her low cut plum coloured dress, and said, "Aren't you going to let me in Chakotay?"

She heard him inhale sharply over the comm. line before answering, "Yes, of course you can come in!" His voice sounded strange, strained and nervous, but the doors opened and she confidently stepped in.

"Why did you lock me…" She began but the question died on her lips as her eyes took in her surroundings and she gasped, her mouth agape. "Oh…how did you…" She exclaimed in disbelief as Chakotay beamed at her from the edge of the pool and waterfall, the complete replica of what she had so memorably seen on Ledosia with the Ventu.

"A lot of work, I wanted you to see it _without_ my bad shuttle skills stranding us." He explained, delighted by the strength of her reaction as she laughed at him, joyfully.

"It's perfect…" She murmured softly in awe as she ran her fingers over a nearby fuchsia coloured flower. "I love it…" She whispered as she walked up to him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck and kissing him deeply, lovingly. "But I don't understand what the occasion is my love…" She murmured thoughtfully as she finally broke the contact to speak.

He smiled shakily at her, his voice tight as he said, "Wait and see."

Seven was, of course, dissatisfied with that answer but she let it go as she realised what they were standing on. "My blanket! Where did you get it?"

He smirked, "I know all the hiding places in the cargo bay of yours by now Crewman…"

"Do you?" She asked with raised eyebrows, "Well you should remember Commander that _I_ know where you hide that alcohol…"

He pulled her down onto the blanket and he began kissing her neck. "You wouldn't dare tell…"

"Are you sure about that?" She teased in reply, just as she felt him pressing a small box into her hands and she looked down at the faded red velvet box in confusion. "What's this?"

"Open it." He suggested in a whisper, his eyes fixed on her face.

Obediently, Seven opened it to reveal a simple gold ring, a bright ruby in the centre, with two smaller diamonds on either side. For a few seconds she stared at it in shock before she could bring herself to left her eyes back to his. "What…what does this signify?"

"It was my mother's engagement ring." He explained, grasping her hands tight in his own. "I'm asking you to marry me Seven." When he didn't get an immediate response he began to panic. "Of course, if you don't like it I can replicate another one…"

"No!" She exclaimed before realising that what she had just said may be misconstrued. "I mean, yes!" She became flustered, her face flushing. "I meant to answer no to replacing the ring and yes to the proposal…" She peered at him shyly, tears forming on her lashes. "That is, if you're sure you want to marry me?"

His hands moved to her cheeks. "I've _never_ been so sure of anything in my life Seven." He saw a relieved smile form on her lips and began to kiss her.

"I concur." Seven murmured in reply before responding whole heartedly to the kissing.

* * *

"Computer, time!" The Doctor ordered as he paced around Sickbay.

"0924 hours." The Computer replied, only deepening the Doctor's unease further. Seven was _never_ late.

Almost as soon as this thought had crossed his mind, Sickbay's doors slid open and Seven practically bounced in, her face flushed and her eyes alight. "You're late, what happened?" The Doctor asked, struck by her unnaturally happy and open demeanour.

"Oh…" Seven mumbled in surprise, having forgotten that not everyone knew and feeling a smile spread across her face as she anticipated the Doctor's happy response, he had always tutored her in social skills after all. "Chakotay and I are engaged to be married."

Unhappily, the Doctor's reaction was not what she had anticipated. Instead his face paled as his jaw set in a hard line, his normally overconfident but warm eyes darkening in shock and anger. "What? _Why_?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Taken aback by the question, Seven's response was immediate, simple and blunt with honesty, "I love him."

The Doctor stared at her in silence before something in him seemed to snap. "You can't _possibly_ be that naïve! It'll always be the Captain for him, surely you know that!" He spat at her as she gazed at him in hurt disbelief. "But why should you?" He continued, "You've always ignored the fact that _I_ love you…" He fell silent and turned away from her as Seven paled and bowed her head, struggling to process what he'd just said.

For several minutes Seven pondered whether to flee or speak but as she looked at the Doctor and thought of Chakotay the words came to her, "I'm sorry Doctor… I never…" She stopped as he snorted. "I relied on you too much for emotional support when I was freed from the Borg, it wasn't fair, I know that now but I've never wanted to hurt you…"

"You're hurting me now!" He exclaimed.

Seven sighed, part of her wanted to cry with guilt at not being able to give him what he asked of her. "I know but I'm telling you the truth. I love Chakotay Doctor and I can't forsake him, even for you. The time will come when you find someone who loves you like that…"

"What if I don't? And what if he hurts you?" He asked painfully, looking at her now.

Seven approached him, carefully resting her hand on his upper arm. "He may do." She murmured calmly, receiving a horrified look from the Doctor which made her smile. "But I'd rather have him love me for a moment than not at all. Do you understand?"

The Doctor kept his gaze on her for a moment before giving her hand resting on his arm a gentle squeeze and letting it fall away from him. "I hope I do…someday." Seven's smile was momentary, regretful, but her eyes gave him a grateful look and she walked quietly out of Sickbay's doors.

**A/n: Thanks to MidnightVampireCharlotte and Sweetdeath04 for supporting this fic idea and to lisac1965 for updating "The Little Girl" last night. I hope this wasn't too soppy or out of character, I've never really tackled destroying the D/7 pairing before, I tend just to ignore it! Please review! **


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